Tambourine jingle rim supporting and actuating mechanism



Dec. 2, 1969 L. BLUMENFELD 3,481,239

TAMBOURINE JINGLE RIM SUPPORTING AND ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 50,1967 INVENTOR 5 6 Sum lzfeld United States Patent US. Cl. 84-418 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is addressed to a musicalinstrument and the means for mounting the instrument in which theinstrument is a tambourine jingle rim type of instrument and in whichthe instrument is mounted for foot pedal operation to impart axialmovements to the instrument for the development of the musical soundsand wherein the means for support and actuation comprises a verticallydisposed rod and a bracket on the upper end of the rod interconnectingthe end of the rod with the instrument for operational support while thebottom end portion of the rod is operatively engaged by a foot pedal toeffect axial movement to the rod and the instrument supported thereon.

This invention relates to musical instruments, and particularly to aninstrument of the tambourine Jingle Rim type in which a hoop-likestructure carries a plurality of music-producing devices about itsperiphery.

More specifically, my invention relates to means for mounting such amusical instrument on a supporting structure for foot pedal operationwhen used in dance bands.

The present invention provides for removably securing a Jingle Rim ortambourine-like instrument to an actuating mechanism whereby themusician may cause the instrument to be operated in short, abruptmovements in an axial direction, and it is a feature of the inventionthat although the securement means permits primarily axial movement, italso allows limited secondary movement of the musical instrument in adirection angularly related to the mounting means.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in thefollowing description of a presently preferred embodiment, read inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a musical instrument embodying myinvention, mounted for actuating the instrument in short, abruptmovements in a vertical di rection;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the support structure securedto the musical instrument, the latter being fragmentarily shown and withits wall portion in section;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the support structure;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional elevation of means for attaching the supportstructure to the actuating mechanism.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the mechanism for mounting the instrumentcomprises a tubular sleeve structure 1 extending vertically from asuitable base 2. Within said sleeve, for axial movement therein, is ashaft 3 which within the sleeve rests upon a cam (not shown) or bellcrank arm pivotally attached to the sleeve 1 and arranged to be rotatedby a foot-pedal 4 and link 5.

The musical instrument 6, embodying my invention, comprises a hoop 7formed from a strip of wood or suitable synthetic material. The wall ofthe hoop may have a plurality of elongated apertures 8, within which areloosely confined the pairs of music-producing elements 9, 10. Theelements 9, 10 are carried on a common axial pin 11, as suggested inFIG. 3, whereby when the instruice ment 6 is given abrupt essentiallyvertical movement by operation of the foot-pedal 4, the elements 9, 10are caused to strike each other and the walls of the apertures 8, thusproducing musical sounds.

For mounting the hoop 7 on the shaft 3, I have provided a clampingstructure 12 which has an inherent rigidity to insure that the movementof the hoop is essentially axial while permitting some angulardisplacement. In the illustrated presently preferred embodiment, thestructure 12 comprises substantially identical clamping elements, eachhaving a jaw portion 14 and a beam portion 15. The respective jawportions are substantially U-shaped, whereby the legs 16, 17 thereofcollectively embrace the hoop 7 and respectively engage the outer andinner walls of the hoop.

The beam portions 15 are made rigid by the integral side flanges 18, 19,which, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, begin at the juncture of the beamportion 15 and the clamping leg 17, whereby a relatively stiff hingepoint 20 is provided at each of the clamping elements.

The respective clamping elements are preferably secured to each otheradjacent the jaw portions, as by the nut and bolt 21, which performs theprimary clamping or gripping force to the respective jaw portions, andby the threaded sleeve 22, best shown in FIG. 4, which is disposed atthe axis of the hoop 7. The wall of the sleeve accommodates the snugpassages of the shaft 3, and the sleeve itself passes fully throughsuitable openings in the beam members 15. Upper and lower clamping nuts23, 24 secure the sleeve to the support structure 12. An uppercylindrical portion 25 of the sleeve is suitably tapped to accommodate awing screw 26 by which the sleeve may be affixed to the shaft 3.

It will be noted from FIG. 2 that the free ends of the respective upperand lower beam portions 15 are in contact but at the opposite ends thereis a very definite space 27. The effect of this is to provide aresilient reaction to the clamping efforts of the fastener 21 and theclamping nuts 23 and 24, whereby these elements are held againstloosening, and the musical instrument is maintained in proper operatingcondition during use.

The thusly mounted tambourine jingle rim can be foot operated by meansof foot actuation of the pedal 4 about its pivot or it can, in thealternative, be hand operated by hand impact on the rim or otherwise ofthe tambourine while in mounted position.

Iclaim:

1. A musical instrument comprising, in combination, a hoop havingdisposed about its periphery a plurality of elements to produce musicalsounds primarily in response to an abrupt actuation of said hoop in anaxial direction, a rigid support structure secured to said hoop at asingle relatively small portion of its periphery and extendingdiametrically toward the center of said hoop, and means for releasablysecuring said hoop support to hoop actuation means, including a centerpost and means for axial reciprocation of said center post for abruptactuation of the hoop in the axial direction.

2. A musical instrument according to claim 1, in which said hoop supportincludes separable upper and lower jaw members engaging with inner andouter wall portions of said hoop and a substantially non-flexible beamportion extending radially from each of said jaw members, the means forsecuring said hoop support to said actuator means being substantially atthe axis of the hoop.

3. A musical instrument according to claim 2, in which the juncture ofsaid jaw members and said beam provides for limited angular displacementof said hoop during the axial movement thereof.

4. A musical instrument according to claim 1, in which said hoop supportstructure comprises identical mutually opposed and separable upper andlower jaw elements,

each element having w-all portions to respectively engageuw,

with inner and outer wall portions of said hoop, and identical rigidbeam portions extending angularly from the respective jaw elements,means for releasably securing the respective beam portions to each otheradjacent the jaw elements, and means for releasably securing the saidbeam portions to each other at substantially the axis of said hoop, saidlast-named securement means additionally including means for effectingthe attachment of said beam portions to a hoop actuation means.

5. A musical instrument according to claim 4, in which the respectivebeam-securing means comprise threaded elements and the relation of thejaw elements to the associated beam portions is such that uponapplication of the jaw elements to the hoop the beam portions divergefrom each other from the free ends thereof to the' jaw portions,wherebvnpon.tightening.the respective fasten,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,088,560 5/1963 Preuss 24-81 3,215,020 11/1965Kester 84411 3,299,765 1/1967 Rochon 84-422 RICHARD B. WILKINSON,Primary Examiner L. R. FRANKLIN, Assistant Examiner

